Everything you want to know about proven acne-killers; Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid.
Everytime you start scrolling, you are likely exposed to a flood of skincare products designed to catch your attention. If you’ve ever talked about, or searched for “acne”, these ads are probably populated with skincare products that promise everything you’d want to hear about an acne product; clear skin! No more clogged pores! Buh-bye excess oil!
With SO many options and very clever, targeted marketing, it can be confusing (and kind of overwhelming) to suss out which products are really worth your time and money.
As with anything, knowledge is power, and we’re here to pump up your acne-destroying fire-power. Knowing which active ingredients to look for in acne products is especially important to gauge whether or not the product has a good chance of achieving what you want it to do.
In order to be the most informed consumer you can be when it comes to what you’re putting on your face, learn more about our two top Acne product ingredients, Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide for acne skincare products in Philadelphia and beyond.
Why you want Salicylic Acid in your acne skincare products
Salicylic acid exfoliates the skin and decreases inflammation. Acne-sufferers can often have sticky sebum trying to adhere to their hair follicles, and Salicylic Acid helps dissolve this so it can all be flushed out as you wash your face.
A lot of powerful acne products can be irritating (at least at first.) But salicylic acid is unique because it also has a soothing, calming effect on skin. (The anti-inflammatory properties of this ingredient are not surprising, given its close chemical relationship to one of the most well-known anti-inflammatory drugs available, acetylsalicylic acid, also known as aspirin!)
With it’s dual ability of flushing out clogged pores, and helping decrease inflammation, we highly recommend Salicylic Acid skincare products to our acne patients, and they love it.
The downside to Salicylic Acid
Minimal. High-concentrations of salicylic acid are used in over-the-counter WART patches. If you apply a ton of these patches all over your body, it can be toxic. As with any medication though, proper usage is critical for a positive outcome. The percentage of salicylic acid found in acne skincare products is usually very well tolerated. They almost never cause irritation or peeling when used as directed (usually once or twice a day).
Our Favorite Salicylic Acid SkinCare Products
“Blemish + Age Defense” serum (from SkinCeuticals) is one of our best-selling products, and for good reason, it is a great defense against acne! This Salicylic Acid based product does wonders for banishing Acne and helps promote more efficient exfoliation. When first using it, your skin might tingle when applied. After a few days though, your skin adjusts and tolerates well. It can easily be used with other acne products, and is safe to use even during the day. This is by far and away our favorite salicylic acid product, both in terms of our opinion, and patient feedback/demand.
Why we love Benzoyl Peroxide for banishing Acne
Benzoyl peroxide is a very powerful ingredient that is effective against all kinds of acne lesions (blackheads, whiteheads, and big red pimples). It is bactericidal, meaning it kills bacteria, rather than simply slowing it down. It works very quickly, improving acne as early as five days after starting treatment. It’s a wonderful topical treatment for clearing acne, and comes in many forms and strengths.
The downside of Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide can cause drying, peeling, and redness if not used appropriately, If irritation occurs, don’t hesitate to apply a gentle moisturizer on top of it! Often, this supplies all the relief your skin needs. If you’re still experiencing irritation, you can slowly work this into your routine by using it once every three days, then 2-days, until your skin can tolerate daily exposure.
One thing to watch out for with benzoyl peroxide is that it can act as a bleaching agent. You may want to use light colored pillow cases when using this product.
Our favorite Benzoyl Peroxide Products
Benzoyl Peroxide is such a useful anti-acne agent that we have incorporated it into a best-selling private-label product. Since it can be formulated in a variety of strengths and delivery methods, we currently have it available in the form of a 5% Overnight Treatment (read more here). This is designed to be used daily (err, nightly) and can be used to target specific areas (like just the T-Zone, or nose) or the entire face. You should quickly notice and enjoy the benefits of this product, and because such a tiny amount is needed at each application, the tube will last you 6-9 months easily.
Patients are consistently amazed at the clear-skin results they get, quickly and easily, from the proper administration and utilization of these 2 potent, acne-clearing ingredients.
Quick warning about both ingredients!
Both Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid are powerhouses at cleaning out pores and keeping skin clear, but your skin can be more susceptible to burning while using these ingredients. Please make sure to always use sunscreen (you always are anyway, right?) and wear a hat when possible while utilizing these two skincare ingredients.
Exhausted by all the options?
We’re here to help you get the best skin possible, and we’ve done all the homework for you to help guide you to the right decisions for acne skincare products in Philadelphia. Please feel free to schedule a visit with us so that we can cherry-pick from our award-winning, prescription strength skincare products from leading brands such as SkinBetter, SkinCeuticals, Alastin, Colorescience, and more to curate the best regimen to achieve your skin goals.
